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Undercolor/850104/Hints Tips and Tricks

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UnderColor, Volume 1, Number 4, February 1, 1985

  • Title: Hints Tips and Tricks
  • Author: Terry Kepner
  • Synopsis: Good Stuff.
  • Page Scans: Link

Article

General—If you're having RF problems with your Color Computer, you can eliminate them if your TV has a 75-ohm jack (for direct cable input). Buy a phone-jack to F-connector adapter (Radio Shack 278-255) and plug the computer directly to your TV, bypassing the TV connector box you normally use.

Programming—To load two Basic programs into memory without erasing one, try this: Renumber the programs so that they don't overlap one another (the beginning of one doesn’t start before the end of the other); CLOAD the lower number program; type POKE 25,PEEK(27):POKE 26,PEEK(28)-2; CLOAD the second program; with Color Basic type POKE 25,6, with Extended Color Basic type POKE 25,30; type POKE 26,1. Now CSAVE the new, combined program.

Programming—When debugging programs, put in a Stop command before the line giving the problem. To facilitate your efforts, print the variables in question before Stopping the program. It'll save time and typing.

Programming—Here’s an easy way to verify tape saved programs without losing the copy in memory: rewind the tape and type SKIPF. It'll read over your file and report any errors without erasing the file in memory. If there is a problem, you still have a copy in memory for a second save.

Programming—To load an assembly language tape or disk to a different location in memory by putting an "offset" value after the file name; i.e., CLOAD "file",offset. To move upwards in memory, the offset is calculated by subtracting the old start address from the new one. To move down, subtract the old address from the new one, and add 65536.

ROMpak—To change the untimed stop bit in Color disk Scripsit and change the printer baud, try this: Load DOS (don't run it), list Lines 101 and 102 and make sure the revision number and date are 1.2 and 12/07/81. Now type in:

15 POKE 3772,&HBD:POKE 3773,6:POKE 3774,&H12:REM fixes stop bit

16 POKE 3783,&H8E;POKE 3784,0:POKE 3785,x:REM x is the baud

Line 15 forces Scripsit to use the same timing routine for all bits, and Line 16 substitutes the built-in baud with your preferred rate. Save DOS to disk and the changes become permanent (actually, rename the DOS on disk to DOSBACK before saving the modified version, that way you have the old version, should you need it).

OS9—lf you're having problems with Basic9 on your OS9 system, try this on a two drive system: type DEL DIR DEFS, then COPY/D1/BASICO9DO/CMDS/BASICO9. Do this on all your Basic programs (replacing Basic09 with the appropriate name, of course).

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